# Cecil on R.A.H.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-on-r-a-h/195353>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [August 15, 2003, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-on-r-a-h/195353 "2003-08-15T09:43:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-on-r-a-h/195353/1 "2003-08-15T09:43:55Z")

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Oh no.

[Unfortunately, like a lot of authors popular at the time (Robert Heinlein comes to mind, and don’t even get me started on Hermann Hesse), Skinner was more monologuist than novelist, and the book’s value as literature is slight.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/030815.html)

Is Cecil suggesting that Heinlein’s ouptut during the '50’s and '60’s has nearly no value as literature?

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**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-on-r-a-h/195353/2 "2003-08-15T12:03:58Z")

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Not yet.

“slight” refers back to “the book”, meaning Skinner’s book. That statement lumps Skinner, Heinlein, and Hesse in together as monologuists.

“Monologuist” is the same as a “soliloquist” right?

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**Author:** ![frookah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@frookah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frookah)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cecil-on-r-a-h/195353/3 "2003-08-17T09:43:19Z")

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If I found out that Cecil had it in for Heinlein, I’d have to fall on my sword. _Argh, torn loyalties, what to do?!_😕